American Sign Language

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250,000 in United States (Mitchell, Young, Bachleda et al. 2006). Population total all countries: 271,550. L2 users: Used natively by many hearing children of deaf parents, and as L2 by many other hearing people.

Black American Sign Language, Tactile ASL (TASL). Some lexical variation across the United States and much of Canada, but intelligibility is high among all dialects called ASL. Black American Sign Language developed in schools for African-American deaf people due to segregation in the southern United States. It contains some distinctive vocabulary and grammatical structure. Tactile ASL (TASL) is used throughout the United States by and with deaf-blind people, especially those with Usher’s Syndrome, concentrations of which are found in Louisiana and Seattle. TASL uses ASL vocabulary and grammar, except (1) the deaf-blind person receives signs through touch by feeling signs in the palms, and (2) minor syntactic modifications to compensate for the deaf-blind person’s lack of access to the signer’s facial expressions. Some deaf-blind people learn Braille for reading English. Dialects or closely-related languages derived from ASL, are used in many other countries. Lexical similarity: 58% between modern ASL and French Sign Language (LSF) [fsl] on a comparison of 872 signs (Woodward 1978). Although the 2 are historically related, ASL has undergone substantial creolization (Woodward 1975; Woodward 1976).

Interpreters required for many legal and civic situations. Lingua franca of the deaf world, used widely as L2. Reportedly used in many countries other than those listed here. However, such reports must be viewed with caution. In many cases, although ASL may have been introduced in the country at some time in the past, the actual sign language that has developed out of it is not mutually intelligible with standard ASL as used in North America. Conversely, in other countries, the sign language may be mutually intelligible with standard ASL, but for nationalistic reasons is given a name based on the name of the country. Used as L2 by Hawaii Sign Language [hps], Plains Indian Sign Language [psd].

Language Development

Literacy is almost always based on English rather than ASL. Deaf people’s English varies from highly literate to illiterate, but the average deaf student graduates from high school with a 3rd or 4th grade reading level. TV. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 2005.

American Sign Language is different from Signed English, which refers to a range of signing registers that reflect considerable influence from English. At the extreme end are Signing Exact English (SEE) and Seeing Essential English (SEE2), artificially-constructed systems that attempt to match English word order and morphemic structure exactly. English-influenced signing that does not follow English grammar exactly is generally called contact signing or Pidgin Signed English. Deaf schools and interpreters in mainstreamed educational settings may use any of these sign varieties.

Although many people say they use ASL in Benin, they generally do not understand nor sign standard ASL from the United States. However, the sign language in Benin has not been separately recognized by ISO 639-3.

Sign language interpreters required for deaf in court. Used for deaf college students, important public functions, job training, social service programs. Sign language instruction for parents of deaf children, classes for hearing people, organization for sign language teachers, committee on national sign language. Used as L2 by Quebec Sign Language [fcs].

Some early influence in the 1970s from French Sign Language [fsl], but now predominately consists of signs from ASL together with local signs, plus influence from French [fra] on the grammar in some contexts (1997 S. Dalle). Degree of difference from standard ASL and from ASL (or languages derived from ASL) in other African countries has not been determined.

As of 2015, LSAF is not officially recognized as a distinct language and would be considered a dialect of ASL, with influence from spoken and written French [fra] and local signs. The relationship of signing in Côte d’Ivoire to standard ASL in the United States and to LSAF in other francophone African countries has not been assessed. Further, there is significant variation within the country, again not systematically-assessed, and a variety of names used. Some people regard these names as referring to distinct languages, others as dialects of the same language. Some Deaf know more than one variety. There is also a local variety in the village of Bouakako, Hiré in southwestern Côte d’Ivoire. (2013 A. Tano).

Since LSAF is not officially recognized as a distinct language, it would be considered a dialect of ASL, with influence from spoken and written French [fra] and local signs. The relationship of ASL and LSAF in Mali to standard ASL in the United States and to LSAF in other francophone African countries has not been systematically assessed.

Philippine Sign Language [psp] and ASL are very similar but generally regarded by Deaf people in the Philippines as distinct languages. Both are in use as a normal means of communication, with a lot of bilingualism. Different deaf schools prefer different languages.

Although many people say they use ASL in Togo, they generally do not understand nor sign standard ASL from the United States. However, the sign language in Togo has not been separately recognized by ISO 639-3.

What is called ‘ASL’ in Trinidad and Tobago is similar to Signed English in the United States, and is used more in the north. Many hearing and deaf hold ASL in high prestige, but some deaf people are beginning to publicly favor TTSL [lst].